Process of treating hydrocarbons



Oct. 29, 1929. G. EGLOFF ,7

PRCCLJSS OF TREATING HYDROCARBONS Original Filed Jan. 12, 1920 l/zavifdim,

Patented Oct. 29, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUSTAV EGLOFF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T UNIVERSAL OIL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA PROCESS OF TREATING HYDROCABBONS Application fled January 12, 1920, Serial No. 350,815. Renewed February 15, 1927.

This invention relates to improvements in process of treating hydrocarbons and refers more particularly to a process of cracking relatively heavy hydrocarbons into lower boiling point hydrocarbons, such as gasoline or gasoline-like bodies.

Among the salient objects of the present invention are to provide a process in which the reflux condensate which has to be recracked to 'ether with the lighter portions of the liquid body of the oil are constantly recirculated through the system while, at the same time, avoiding recirculating the heaviest residue through the hottest part of the cracking zone and in general to provide an improved process of the character referred to.

To more clearly understand the invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawing, a single figure, which shows a view partly in section and partly in side elevation of an apparatus suitable for carrying out my invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, I designates the furnace in which is seated the coil 2, which forms the cracking zone.

Above the coil 2 is the vapor chamber 3.

The vapors pass out of the chamber 3 through gooseneck 4 to dephlegmator 5 connected by line 6 to water condenser 7. The condensate 30 passes from the water condenser 7 to the receiver 8 through line 9. The receiver is provided with liquid drawofi' 10 and gas outlet 11, controlled by valves 12 and 13 respectively. The vapor chamber 3 is provided 35 with safety valve 14 and also with drawoff line 15 for the heavy residue, which drawofi' line 15 is controlled by valve 16. The oil passes from the cracking coil 2 to the vapor chamber 3 through the line 17.

It will be noted that the vapor chamber 3 is inclined downward rearwardly and as a feature of the invention, provision is made for taking the lighter portions of the unvaporized liquidin the chamber 3 together with the reflux condensate directly to the pressure of 100 lbs.

charging line. This is done by line 18 which is connected at its upper end to the vapor chamber intermediate the height of the latter and at its lower end to the charging pump 21. A valve 20 is interposed in the line 18.

Fresh charging stock is supplied by pump 21 having its outlet side 22 controlled by valve to the inlet pipe 19. The inlet side of the pump 21 is connected by line 24 con trolled by valve 25 to a suitable source of supply (not shown). If desired, a valve 26 may be interposed in the vapor line 4 and a valve 27 in the line 6, leadin from the upper end of the dephlegmator. y arranging the valves 26 and 27 in the manner above described it will be appreciated that the vapor pressure on the oil in the expansion chamber and cracking zone and that on the oil in the dephlegmator may be varied so that it is possible in this system to maintain a differential pressure in various units of the ap aratus.

11 carrying out the process, gas oil of 32 B. may be treated, subjected to an oil temperature of 750 in the cracking zone and a still Sufiicient fresh oil should be supplied to the apparatus to insure of the oil passing down through the line 18. When a differential pressure is used the still pressure may, as above stated, he maintained at 100 pounds per square inch by the use of the valve 26. The pressure in the dephlegmator 5 may be reduced to say 75 pounds per square inch or any other reduced pressure by the control of the valve 27, while there may be a further reduction of pressure in the condenser 7 to say pounds per square inch or less.

I claim as my invention:

The process of converting heavy into lighter hydrocarbons, comprising passing oil through a cracking coil in a' heated condition to a vapor chamber so positioned as to incline from the horizontal and disposed adjacent said cracking coil, in discharging vapors from the lower end of said inclined chamber to a. dephle ator, in returning reflux condensate from t e dephlegmator directly to the lower end of the inclined chamber, in discharging said condensate and light residue from the lower end of said chamber for repassage through the heating coil, in discharging hea'vy residuum from substantially the bottom of said lower end of the inclined chamber without returning said residuum to the cracking coil, and in maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on said system.

GUSTAV EGLOFF. 

